Sony PlayStation 4 CUH-1200 Model Out in Japan: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

The new CUH-1200 Model is said to be quieter and more power-efficient than its predecessor.

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. President and Group CEO House presents the Sony Playstation 4 at the Sony news conference show on the eve of the opening of E3 in Los AngelesReuters

The general PlayStation 4 model from Sony isn't even a couple of years old, and we are already looking at the console's revised model, available currently only in Japan.

The newly upgraded PS4 version, with model number CUH-1200, is a substantial revision over the earlier model. Apparently, the upgraded console is not only cheaper to produce, but is also quieter and more power-efficient than its immediate predecessor.

That being said, are you already willing to replace your old PS4 with this new hardware, once it's ready for global sales? But will it be worth the upgrade? We take a closer look.

PS4 CUH-1200 Model – Worth Your Time and Money?

The new PS4 model has been remodelled, with the removal of the glossy plastics and the re-arrangement of the rear ports being just the tip of the iceberg. But that's on the outside. In the inside, however, Sony has fitted the revamped model with a new, smaller motherboard with its own set of changes.

Sony has applied considerable tweaks to earlier GDDR5 memory set-up, with major reconfigurations on offer. While the earlier PS4 model used a significant 16 memory modules to complement the 8GB support, the new CUH-1200 uses double-density Samsung modules to bring down the count to just eight, meaning reduced power consumption.

The primary processor in the new PS4 is still a 28nm chip, although there is a sort of change in design, but with similar physical dimensions. While Sony may have employed a more power efficient version of the 28nm process, it could still be the same chip at the core of it all.

The updated CUH-1200 model still harbours the usual 5400rpm HGST Z5K500 hard drive, although other areas have been subjected to notable changes. There's now a less-complicated Blu-ray drive design, with minor changes made to component arrangement with the replacement of some of the chips – for instance, the introduction of the Panasonic HDMI controller.

Small yet equally effective changes have also been made to the cooling assemblies all through the unit, although the main fan still remains the same. However, there's a new power supply at the helm of it, and it's 80g lighter and has a lower output, improving the power efficiency further.

According to reports circulating out of Japan for the new CUH-1200 model, the upgraded console's standby power is said to be anything from 30 to 50% lower than the launch unit, with as much as 11% more efficient main menu.

As far as power consumption during actual gameplay session is concerned, while the original launch unit drew 148.6W, the new CUH-1200 model cuts that down to an impressive 122W, showing an 18% drop and bringing down the power consumption to the same level as an Xbox One.

As far as overall fan-noise is concerned, this has been a burning issue for all those who currently own a PS4. But for the new CUH-1200 model, expect less noise out of the console's fan, thanks to the 18% drop in power consumption, with less heat generation, that we mentioned earlier.

While the basic existence of the upgraded CUH-1200 model for the PS4 excites us, we are still waiting for an official confirmation as to when the upgraded model will be ready for a Western release. However, with Japan already being treated to the revamped console, expect it to ship around the world later this year.